38°
Having already seized one suspect before dawn the day before, officers received a call of two suspicious-looking men in the area of Linwood Avenue and Godwin Road around 5:30 a.m., Police Chief Kenneth Ehrenberg said.
Officer Michael Boccher spotted and stopped Michael Acosta, 18, of Paterson and Edras Mendoza, 20, of Passaic, moments later, Ehrenberg said.
Both told officers they were headed to the Jersey Place home of relatives, but police checked out the location and found the claim wasn’t true, the chief said.
Boccher also found Mendoza carrying marijuana and both men carrying additional sets of car keys, he said.
One key belonged to a Kia stolen from the same neighborhood the night before, when police made the first crew member arrest, the chief said.
Acosta and Mendoza were charged with possession of stolen property and sent to the Bergen County Jail.
Meanwhile, Detectives Mark Pinajian and Jack Cacamis traced the keys and found that one set belonged to a 2014 Chevy Silverado pickup truck found in the area of the previous night’s thefts.
The pickup, it turned out, was stolen out of a Paterson, Ehrenberg said.
The thieves “put a set of valid, non-stolen license plates belonging to an identical Silverado onto the vehicle to allow them to drive around undetected,” he said.
The Kia stolen from Walnut Street the night before was found in Passaic on Thursday, the chief said.
Acosta and Mendoza join 18-year-old Jose Cereno Del Rio of Passaic, arrested by police the night before and charged with auto burglary, criminal attempt, possession of stolen property and eluding.
SEE: Paramus Police Interrupt Suspected Car Thief On Ransacking Spree
More arrests were expected as the investigation widens, Ehrenberg said.
Anyone who saw something or has information that could help identify other crew members is asked to contact the Paramus Police Department at (201) 262-3400 or use the department’s anonymous app found at www.paramuspolice.org.
Ehrenberg once again reminded motorists to lock their vehicles and remove their keys and fobs.
******
ALSO SEE: A Paramus man sent letters threatening the parents of children at a local school, authorities said.
******
Click here to follow Daily Voice Mahwah-Ramsey and receive free news updates.
